Band uses enema, leaving fecal matter on stage during fundraiser at AvantGarden

HOUSTON (KTRK) -- What started as a fundraiser for a man battling cancer turned into a health hazard situation after volunteer performers defecated on stage, the venue's owner said.

Amy Stanley organized a fundraiser at AvantGarden in Montrose Friday for a friend who is undergoing treatment for cancer. She called on several bands in the area to volunteer their time.

"I was expecting everything to go smoothly," she said.

Except, it didn't.

"I heard some yelling and I came in and was just shocked," Stanley said.

Performers with a group called Sonic Rabbit Hole administered an enema made of a protein shake. Stanley said she's seen the band play before and had no indication anything out of the ordinary would happen.

Mariana Lemesoff, the owner of AvantGarden, said fecal matter was everywhere.

"It smelled so bad the bartender was throwing up behind the bar," she said. "They stepped on it, so it was all over the venue."

Michael Clemmons, a member of the band, admits that he used the enema on stage.

"Now, I did administer the enema but I evacuated myself in the restroom and flushed," Clemmons said.

He said the idea was not an act of protest, but one of performance art.

"Maybe if you could touch on the obvious question, why did you do this?" asked ABC13's Steven Romo.

"That's a tough one," Clemmons said. "As an artist, I get an idea in my head and execute it."

Lemesoff disagrees, saying it was an act of vandalism and it conveyed no artistic expression. It was something that was especially unwarranted at a charity event, she said.

She said the bar was forced to close, making her staff miss out on tips and making the fundraiser end early.

Now, Stanley hopes the public will step up and help raise funds for her dear friend who is fighting for his life.

"It would be wonderful if they could take their energies from putting out so much hate toward the artists and converting that into love for the victim," she said.

Police were called but didn't get here until after the band left, Lemesoff said.

The venue is now fully cleaned and back in operation.

You can donate to the campaign here.